


Quite the Development

by The-Winter-Maximoff (kindersuprisefics)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Here it is!!, Kisses and tears for everyone!!, M/M, Zemo and T'challa were a little oblivious to their feelings, heres the fluff!!, hope you all like this, i couldn't wait anymore to finally get them here!, i dunno I guess theres some, i think, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-07-15 19:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7236070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindersuprisefics/pseuds/The-Winter-Maximoff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was a day worth remembering.</p><p> And a new step in the right direction. </p><p>Neither of them had expected this outcome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quite the Development

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry I know I said I would "develop" them, but that didn't really mean slowly. I'm not good at slow development. I need fluff, too much angst isn't good for my heart. Hope you all don't mind, and I hope this isn't bad. Please enjoy and leave comments! 
> 
> I love all of you readers.

“I see you've been sleeping more. Has the medication been working well for you?” 

Zemo indeed looked much more rested recently, thanks to the sleep remedy T'challa had made to help him with his constant insomnia and it even helped ease his nightmares. 

“Yes, it's been easier to sleep….not like before.” He replies softly, taking another sip of his black coffee. 

T'challa smiles, taking a drink of his own coffee. 

“Why always black coffee? Isn't it rather bitter?”

Zemo blinks, thinking as he looked back down at his cup before looking back up at T'challa. 

“It's how I've always had it. It was just quicker when I needed to hurry into work.” 

T'challa nods in understanding. 

This was their new routine. 

T'challa and Zemo talked more often, not about their problems, nothing therapeutic. Just little things, current events, opinions, just normal conversations two people might have. 

It was nice, they both enjoyed this. Slowly they were getting to really know each other over the past months since they've started talking again. Zemo seemed more comfortable and willing to speak with T'challa.

Not that either of them would admit it to each other, but they loved each other's company.  
T'challa almost couldn't believe that this man was once his enemy. 

Yes, it still often haunts him that he shared his home with the man who killed his father, and every once in a while he still felt that pain in his chest, but he did not regret forgiving Helmut Zemo. Not even a little. And Zemo was grateful for this, in his own Zemo-ish way of course. 

Zemo looks out the window with a calm, thoughtful look on his face.  
T'challa studies him silently. Mapping the profile of his face to his memory. The way his soft lashes rested against his cheek when he blinked. The way his lips slightly parted as he took a deep breath. The way he bit his lip and furrowed his eyebrows when thinking of something troubling. 

“Your highness?”

T'challa quickly sits up straighter as he regains his composure, a bit embarrassed that he was caught staring. 

Zemo's smirking at him with a questioning look in his eyes, as if he were expecting some kind of explanation. 

“You….um, you seemed in deep thought.” T'challa rubs the back of his neck and narrows his eyes away from the Sokovian's gaze. 

“What were you thinking about.” 

Zemo looks down at the floor, and for a second T'challa worries he's upset him. But then Zemo smiles sadly, trying to pass it off as amusement as he looks back up at T'challa. 

“I was thinking about how much my son would have loved living here.” He says with a small, tired laugh, “he would have been so excited to see the wakandan jungle from the window, or even the vast city from the roof top.” 

Zemo has to hug himself tightly, feeling that all too familiar ache in his chest. He keeps his eyes on the rug, afraid any eye contact would only make him more emotional. 

T'challa could see the fondness in the man's eyes as he spoke of his child. He wishes somehow he could help with the pain of Zemo's loss. 

Two mornings ago, he was heading to Zemo's room to get him for breakfast, but as soon as he reached the door he heard the most heartbreaking noise.

He could hear the man sobbing, brokenly crying and whimpering alone. Obviously over his family.  
T'challa was ever for certain he could here the man whispering names between his sobs. 

He waited for what felt like an hour before the sound stopped. Then he knocked on the door softly, waiting to open it until Zemo's small and slightly muffled voice called for him to enter. 

He was standing in front of his bed with his back to T'challa, he was rubbing furiously at his eyes. But that did nothing to hide how puffy and red they were, along with how disheveled he just generally looked, it was a pitiful sight. 

T'challa had an idea. Unfortunately he had no idea if it would work, for he was unsure of what he might find, if there's anything left at all. 

 

Zemo lives more easily with each day.  
He's trying for once, which was something that was new even for him. He didn't really understand what it was that was driving him now, but he was certain he know who it had to do with. 

T'challa company was comforting.  
Those days alone had really shown him how badly he needed the presence of the other man. He understood now how afraid he was of being alone. 

There were still days where he was overwhelmed with pain, where he wished for death to finally come and take him. But now they've been less since since his and T'challa’s regular meetings. There was just something soothing about T'challa’s presence, like salve on a wound. 

T'challa excitedly talks to him about a new scientific breakthrough he discovered today as they ate dinner together. Zemo's mesmerized, focused on the mirthful look in the young king’s eyes, the way he smiled, the way his hands moved animatedly as he described everything to Zemo. 

Zemo can't help but smile back at him, nodding and responding with equal interest as he listened to him go on. They continue the rest of the night like this. 

Zemo goes to bed every detail he memorized, the image of T'challa was imprinted in his mind forever. He almost couldn't stop smiling, he didn't even know what it was that made him so happy. He hasn't acted like this since….

Zemo's smile disappears. 

He remembers when he was younger. A young man fresh out of high school, on his way to joining the military. He met a girl in a coffee shop. She was sweet and energetic, she had a beautiful smile. He remembered thinking of her every night. 

Even after he married her he'd still become giddy like a teenager just thinking about her. And that only grew as their love did, even more so after their son was born. 

 

Zemo's woken up earlier one morning. The sun was barely rising as T'challa came to get him. 

“What's wrong? Isn't this a little early?” 

T'challa smiles at him, “You can sleep after I show you to your new room.” 

It's upstairs. Just a floor beneath where T'challa’s room was, it was large and spacious, and it had the most lovely view. Zemo could see the sun rising from his window. It reminded him of the view from his bedroom window in Sokovia. 

“This is….this is really nice.” He says with genuine gratitude. 

He smirks amused my at T'challa, “Any other promotional bonuses?” he asks jokingly. 

T'challa laughs, shaking his head and putting a hand on Zemo's shoulder. 

“I couldn't keep you in that small room forever, besides, I trust you’ll be more comfortable with more space.” 

 

T'challa left Zemo for a few more hours to sleep in his new room before surprising him again. 

This time when he came around he had Zemo's breakfast with him. The smell of coffee and bacon was enough to rouse Helmut from his peaceful sleep. 

“I thought we could have breakfast in here today.” 

“Why?” 

T'challa sets the tray of food down on the nightstand beside Zemo, going back to close the door. 

“Let's just say I'm avoiding work today.” 

Zemo looks up at him with apologetic eyes. 

“Are they still…”  
T'challa is quick to cut him off.  
“You shouldn't worry too much about that. No one can take you from here, I promise.” 

Zemo nods, he trusts T'challa. 

They carry on with a peaceful breakfast. 

T'challa spends the rest of the morning asking Zemo the most peculiar questions. 

“What are you're favorite books?” 

“What kind of music do you like?” 

“Do you have any hobbies?” 

It's was weird to Zemo, but he answered all of T'challa questions, always asking the same in return. 

They learned a lot of small details about each other that morning. Zemo's amused and T'challa is happy that he's getting new information on his new house guest. This was wonderful progress. 

Zemo memorized every answer T'challa gave him too. He didn't know why he felt it was important to, but he couldn't stop himself from repeating everything in his head as they swapped questions and answers with each other. 

Later they have lunch in T'challa’s private garden, there they learn another new thing about each other. 

T’challa learns after a few glasses of wine that he's good at making Zemo laugh, and Zemo learns that T'challa is very funny when he wants to be.

It was the most enchanting thing the king had ever experienced. The noise rang through his ears like music, Zemo had a lovely laugh. He had an even more lovely smile as he giggled at T'challa’s joke. 

This was the first time T'challa had ever seen the man so genuinely happy. 

He doesn't stop making Zemo laugh until the man is on the ground holding his sides. T'challa honestly has never made anyone laugh like this before. Between that and Zemo's already infectious laugh he couldn't help but begin laughing himself. 

It's after they're inside for the evening that T'challa gets a call. Zemo was rather shocked at how quickly the Wakandan left the room upon taking the call. He figured it was more political business. He relaxes on the couch as he waits for T'challa to return. 

He feels so light and relaxed, today was truly wonderful. This wasn't something he would have ever expected. In fact he still almost couldn't believe the development of this situation. This was like something out of a dream, a fairy tale. 

So was T'challa. 

Zemo smiles as the man pops into his head. 

His mind reminisces over all the events of the day. It's like watching a video recording in his head. He just wants to pause every moment and relive it over and over again. 

Was this right? Was he really happy? 

Before he could answer his questions, T'challa comes back into the room, all smiles, he seemed excited. 

“Looks like that was a good phone call?” He asks amusedly. 

T'challa just smiles. 

It was painful getting through the rest of the day in waiting. T'challa was just too excited for what he had been planning. He constantly checked his phone for updates, which Zemo notices with curiosity. 

“Is there something you're waiting for?” He asks T’challa at dinner. 

T'challa was trying so hard to be patient, he was hoping his surprise for Zemo would be here at least by dinner, but still it has not arrived. 

“You will see soon enough.” He replies to Zemo. 

Zemo's curiosity increases with this statement, his head tilts and his eyes are questioning, it's killing him that he can't figure out what T'challa was planning. 

“What ever could you possibly be hiding?” The question is rather rhetorical as Zemo knows that T'challa won't answer him. 

 

T'challa is disappointed as Zemo heads off to bed, his plan had still not gone through. 

‘At least there's tomorrow.’ 

That's when there's a quick knock on the door. 

He quickly opens it, it's one of his guards. She's holding a small package in her hands.

“Forgive me your highness for the late arrival, it was just delivered moments ago.” 

T'challa doesn't hesitate for a moment before taking it and running to Zemo's room. 

 

Zemo was just about to fall asleep when he heard a loud and sudden knock at his door. He was so out of it from his medication that he jumped in fright at the unexpected noise. 

He shakily gets himself out of bed and stumbles over to the door, to his surprise T'challa comes bolting into the room as soon as it opens. 

“T'challa?” He asks in a slurred, sleepy voice, all formalities lost on his half conscious mind. 

“Come here, there is something I have for you.” 

Zemo yelps as he's suddenly pulled toward the bed to sit down, T'challa sits next to him before shoving a slightly heavy package into his hands. 

Zemo blinks, trying to make something out of it. He was confused. 

“Is it Christmas?” 

T'challa laughs, “Maybe. Just open it!” He says excitedly. 

Zemo humors him and tears at the packaging paper. It was something blurry through the bubble wrap but he could tell from how heavy it was that it was made from some kind of glass. But removing the bubble wrap was where Zemo felt his heart stop instantly. 

He didn't even notice the tears spilling through his eyes until they started to fall on the object causing these emotions. It was a photograph of his family. He had taken it on his wife's camera only 3 days before he lost them. It looked exactly how it did the moment the film developed. It was now preserved in a glass casing. 

“I've had people looking for days, after a while I was worried they wouldn't find anything.” 

Zemo looks up at T'challa, his heart is twisting with emotions. 

“You found this for me.” 

“I hope it's enough, it was all they could find. I made sure to have it immediately preserved the minute it was recovered.” 

“T-T’challa….” 

Zemo couldn't say what it was that went through his mind in this moment. Other than that it was a realization, a new development, an answer to his questions.

He wasn't sure what would happen as he found his lips against T’challa’s. 

T’challa himself is shocked, this was not part of the plan, but he didn't push Zemo away either. He's not sure what to do as the smaller man crawled over and pulled him into a kiss, but he finds himself deepening it and pulling Zemo closer. 

This was quite the development neither of them had ever seen coming.


End file.
